Türkiye will mark Victory Day on Aug. 30 with official ceremonies, cultural programs and public events across the country, commemorating the 104th anniversary of the decisive victory that brought the Turkish War of Independence to its conclusion.
The national holiday commemorates the Battle of Dumlupınar, fought between Aug. 26 and 30, 1922, during the Great Offensive led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The victory dealt a decisive blow to Greek forces and paved the way for the end of foreign occupation in Anatolia and the establishment of the Republic of Türkiye in 1923.
The anniversary will be observed with military and civilian ceremonies, concerts, sporting events and family activities in cities across the country.
As part of traditional commemorations, state officials are also expected to visit Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Atatürk in Ankara, and pay tribute to the founder of the republic.
The Turkish Air Force’s aerobatic team, SOLOTÜRK, will stage a special aerial performance over Istanbul as part of the celebrations.
In İzmir, ceremonies will begin at Cumhuriyet Square with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Atatürk Monument, followed by a military parade. Military bands will hold concerts at several locations, while Coast Guard vessels will be opened to public visits.
Bursa will host a Victory Day march, followed by a concert by folk singer Elif Buse Doğan. The city will also stage cultural and sporting events, including a water sports championship, an aviation festival and street basketball competitions. In Mersin, a Victory Day tennis tournament has brought athletes together as part of the celebrations.
Public transport will also be made free in Ankara, Istanbul and İzmir throughout Aug. 30. The measure covers Başkentray in Ankara; Marmaray, the Sirkeci-Kazlıçeşme rail line and the Gayrettepe-Istanbul Airport-Halkalı metro line in Istanbul; and İZBAN in İzmir.
Thousands of citizens and military personnel marched with torches to Kocatepe in the western province of Afyonkarahisar late on Aug. 25 to mark the 104th anniversary of the Great Offensive.
Governor Naci Aktaş and military officials led the procession from a schoolyard in Şuhut district’s Çakırözü village following an official ceremony. The crowd retraced the exact historical route that Atatürk and his forces took 104 years ago before launching the decisive military operation.
